The Oxford Introductions to U.S. Law

Intellectual Property

Dan Hunter and Edited by Series Editor: Dennis Patterson

Description

In The Oxford Introductions to U.S. Law: Intellectual Property, prominent intellectual property scholar Dan Hunter provides a precise, engaging overview and careful analysis of current laws of intellectual property and their history. Hunter first focuses on the central areas of intellectual property law, including copyright, patent, trademark, and trade secrets. He then explores the politics, economics, psychology and rhetoric of possession and control that influence and interact with this area of law.

Hunter explains how intellectual property has contributed greatly to the innovations that we, as a society, need in our modern lives. He also describes ways in which the expansion of intellectual property can reduce innovation by stopping others from
implementing great ideas or producing new work. Hunter helps readers think about modern intellectual property in a way that allows them to see how innovation and progress are linked to intellectual property law, and how small changes in the laws have had significant consequences for our society. Ultimately, Hunter helps readers form their own views about the various areas within the arena of intellectual property.

The Oxford Introductions to U.S. Law

Intellectual Property

Dan Hunter and Edited by Series Editor: Dennis Patterson

Author Information

Dan Hunter is a Professor of Law at New York Law School. He is an expert in internet law, intellectual property, and artificial intelligence and cognitive science models of law. He holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University on legal reasoning, computer science and law degrees from Monash University (Australia) and an LL.M. from the University of Melbourne. He regularly publishes on issues dealing with intellectual property law, including the regulation of virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, and high technology. He received a Fulbright Fellowship, an American Council of Learned Societies Research Fellowship, a Herchel Smith Research Fellowship in Intellectual Property Law, and a Science Commons Fellowship.

Dennis Patterson is Professor of Legal Theory and
Legal Philosophy at the European University Institute, Firenze.

The Oxford Introductions to U.S. Law

Intellectual Property

First Edition

Dan Hunter and Edited by Series Editor: Dennis Patterson

Reviews and Awards

"In The Oxford Introductions to U.S. Law: Intellectual Property, Dan Hunter does not simply provide a clear and instructive text on the legal principles of intellectual property; he also contextualizes intellectual property law by examining the interplay between policy and practice in contemporary debates over IP expansion in a way that both unpacks basic assumptions about intellectual property theory and policy and encourages critical thinking. Dan Hunter's language is graceful and conversational, with a wit that makes the book eminently enjoyable to read."
--Megan M. Carpenter, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Law and Intellectual Property, Texas Wesleyan University School of Law

"This book gives a clear-eyed take on how intellectual property law works and why it matters. It does a masterful job connecting the core doctrines and leading cases to the controversies that have defined the field. In these pages are AIDS patients and conceptual artists, counterfeit handbags and crustless sandwiches. The reader will also enjoy Professor Hunter's trademark wit, even as she learns why it could not be his copyrighted wit or his patented wit."
--James Grimmelmann, Associate Professor of Law, New York Law School

"Dan Hunter is one of the best writers in the legal academy. His new book introduces the reader to one of the most complex fields of modern law, masterfully describing the theory and doctrine of contemporary intellectual property law. But more importantly, Professor Hunter offers the reader keen insights on the psychology and politics behind the law, illuminating how and why intellectual property law is so often criticized and challenged in the 21st century."
--Greg Lastowka, Professor of Law, Rutgers School of Law-Camden

"Intellectual Property is, quite simply, a wonderful book. What is intellectual property? Where does it come from? Why do we have it? To whom does it belong? How strong should its protection be? Few (if any) questions will more important than these in the global legal system of the 21st century, and few (if any) books treat them with the clarity, wit, and style of this one. We cannot reform this ailing system without understanding how it works; Daniel Hunter's book-comprehensive, detailed, yet eminently readable-will help readers do both."
--David G. Post, Professor of Law, Temple University, author of In Search of Jefferson's Moose: Notes on the State of Cyberspace

"Hunter challenges readers to think about the impact modern IP law has on the creation of culture and technological innovation and the ways small changes in the law can either enable or impede progress. For reference or for general purpose, this book (and the series) would be an excellent addition to any college or law library."
--C. Ross, University of Florida, CHOICE

"This is a fun book. It's stimulating, informative and harbours some big ideas. It's also a useful read for Europeans and other non-USans who occasionally need reminding that, while superficially IP rights work much the same in most jurisdictions, the US is another world, and a very important one at that."
-- IPKat.com